A Complete Guide to the Latest Fertilizing Methods for Madagascar Periwinkle
Madagascar periwinkle, also known as "daily new," indicates its extremely long flowering period, as its flowers can be seen for a long time throughout the year, making it a relatively common bonsai plant. When planting, if you want its leaves to be more verdant and its flower colors more vivid, fertilizing is a key point, so how should Madagascar periwinkle be fertilized? Let's take a look together.
1. Applying base fertilizer
Madagascar periwinkle likes loose and fertile soil, so before planting, an appropriate amount of fertilizer can be applied to the soil. It is recommended to apply humus fertilizer to increase the soil's nutrient content. In this way, Madagascar periwinkle can have enough nutrients after sprouting, avoiding some growth troubles caused by insufficient nutrients.
2. Fertilizing during the growing season
During the growing season of Madagascar periwinkle is when it has the greatest demand for fertilizer. Insufficient fertilizer may affect its growth and delay the flowering period. So at this time, fertilizer should generally be applied once about every 10 days to allow it to grow quickly. In terms of fertilizer choice, compound fertilizer and liquid fertilizer can be used. The best method is to apply compound fertilizer once, then apply liquid fertilizer once. Using this alternating method, it should be noted that regardless of whether it is compound fertilizer or liquid fertilizer, attention should be paid to the amount and scale of fertilizing. Too little fertilizer will cause poor plant growth, while too much fertilizer can easily cause fertilizer damage and harm the plant.
3. Fertilizing during the flowering period
When Madagascar periwinkle blooms, it consumes a large amount of nutrients. If nutrients are insufficient, fewer flowers will bloom and the flower colors will be lighter, so before flowering, fertilizer must be supplemented sufficiently to extend the flowering period. Fertilizing during the flowering period is mainly based on organic fertilizer, supplemented by compound fertilizer, with a topdressing once a month. Water-soluble fertilizer can also be applied once every half month. The concentration should not be too high, so as to promote the plant's absorption of fertilizer, make its flowers more vivid, and increase ornamental value.
4. Fertilizing in winter
Winter is the dormancy period of Madagascar periwinkle. At this time, the plant stops growing, the absorptive capacity of the root system weakens, and it mostly relies on consuming stored nutrients to maintain itself. Therefore, before winter begins, fertilizer should be applied once to supplement the plant's nutrients, so that it can accumulate enough nutrients to overwinter, increase cold resistance, and allow it to overwinter safely. During the dormancy period, there is no need to fertilize. Only after overwintering, when spring arrives and the soil thaws, should fertilizer be applied to promote the growth of its flower buds.
The above is an introduction to the fertilizing methods for Madagascar periwinkle. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.